The SFMP while long in the terms of USAID Projects is short in terms of the historic The work with fishing communities to gain support for fisheries management is In line with this effort the Scientific and Technical Working Group is a step in

9 advantage of reducing the pressure on small pelagics from trawler bycatch. These and other options will need to be evaluated if a recovery program is instituted. We did not examine in detail the support in the project for the University of Cape Coast in detail but we did interact with some students and faculty and visited their facility. We were very encouraged by the enthusiasm of the students and with those we interacted more closely the quality of their involvement in fisheries. This is truly a situation where capacity empowerment not just capacity building needs to be considered. Five years is a very short time in academia. We have seen equipment obtained during a project’s years go unused afterwards for lack of funds for maintenance and operations and students unable to conduct the research they were educated for because of a lack of opportunity. The promise of President Dooley of a party at his house when the students selected to attend URI arrive is welcomed as isolation can become an issue and I would encourage have the students introduced to the Multicultural Center at URI to provide some contacts in addition to their professional ones. Hopefully the longer term relationship President Dooley stressed in his lecture can be maintained. RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The SFMP while long in the terms of USAID Projects is short in terms of the historic

time it takes to move from very limited management to programs to rebuild and sustain fisheries. The project is already a year and a half into the five year period and while they have made significant process, Ghana is not yet controlling its fisheries and is still in the process of registering its canoes. Therefore we recommend taking a view with a longer horizon and concentrate on the building blocks for fisheries management and working to establish them and work for their sustainability;

2. The work with fishing communities to gain support for fisheries management is

excellent and should be pursued while working to establish structures for this to continue. There may well be a continuing role for academic institutions in this effort i.e. the University of Cape Coast and the University of Ghana-Legon.

3. In line with this effort the Scientific and Technical Working Group is a step in a good

direction and we recommend efforts to make it an official part of the management process. The question of ongoing support and use of that group needs to be addressed.

4. The efforts to build relationships between the Project and the University of Cape

Coast has the potential for strengthening marine and coastal management in Ghana. Close cooperation between the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the two universities with marine science capacity, Legon and Cape Coast can strengthen the infrastructure for management.

5. Capacity development has to be done with caution. It has been going on in West